Kiyoshi's finger lingered on the dog-eared letter, its weathered state held evidence to the umpteen times he had gone through it. His long finger stopped at an uneven patch, it was shaped like a splatter, and tiny grains of transparent crystal stubbornly attached themselves to its surface. He smiled to himself as the girl leaning on his shouldered shifted her position, sleepily rubbing her eyes as she awoke from her dream.

It was in autumn, a month after her operation had went smoothly.

Warm sunshine gently filtered through the gaps between falling leaves, a cool breeze brought with it the faint scent of grass and warm soil, birds assembled on branches to chirp their harmonious songs. It might have sounded like a picturesque vista but it was just an extremely ordinary scenery, a plain, and unkempt hospital garden, one that anyone would have passed by without paying any attention to.

Yet, to them, it was their haven.

However the blissful mood didn't last for long.

"Is that what I think it is?" She saw the familiar piece of paper in his hands and automatically stabbed him with a death glare, but Kiyoshi only smiled whimsically back at her. If only her body was more competent, she would have tried snatched the letter away, but it felt too heavy and lethargic for exercise of that sort. She watched as Kiyoshi turned his warm gaze to the piece of paper.

"Were you drinking salty water when you wrote this?" He suddenly turned back to face her with widened eyes.

"Eh?" She returned his question with a perplexed expression.

"I'm drinking water as I'm writing so I might have spilt a few droplets here and there." Kiyoshi recited the line from her letter.

"There is salt on the paper." He smeared the minuscule grain off the paper and held the crystallization of her tears towards her. Immediately, her faced turned as red as the autumn leafs that were fluttering in the air.

Sometimes she can't tell whether Kiyoshi is really just goofy or actually messing around with her.

"Of- of course I was drinking salt water. What else can it be?" She stuttered with flushed cheeks, this earned her an earnest chuckle from Kiyoshi. Whether it's a polite façade or the curt attitude she puts up only around him, she just couldn't bring herself to be straight forward with her feelings.

"Baka!"

"Why are you reading that now?" She crossed her arms as she attempted to change the topic. "Even though my operation went well, there are still postoperative complications and stuff-"

She halted her words, knowing that she had wandered down the wrong track in the conversation. She was too hasty to change the change the conversation in her flustered state, her deepest worries just poured out naturally. He knew what she was about to say, but he patiently waited for her to continue.

"It wouldn't be surprising if I am to die tomorrow."

She watched as a hint of sorrow crept into his eyes, in those gentle brown eyes, she also saw the same painful look painted on the reflection of herself. Her last sentence had evoked a question, in subtle way, she had voiced her fear. What if she disappear the next day? And the reply he gave her was in the form of one of his signature goofy grins.

"It'll be alright. I'll be here to protect you." He ruffled her hair his large, warm palm.

Once again, he made an impossible promise to her.

She was fighting a battle that can only be faced by herself, there was no way anyone else can do it in her place. But his smile and his promise lifted fears off those fragile shoulders, she will face it by herself but she wasn't alone, he will always be there for her until the very end. The only lingering regret on her mind was how she can't support him like the way he did for her.

The promise for her to see his matches can never be fulfilled, she wouldn't be able to leave the hospital compound until a year later and by that time he would have been forced to retired from the sport and the team he loved so much.

"It's getting a little cold, let's go back in." Kiyoshi suggested as a sudden strong gust sent fallen leaves flying up into the air.

"I don't want to." She pouted and sat glued to the bench like a stubborn child, it was only in front of him that she showed this immature side of herself. "I don't know when the doctors are going to let me out again."

With that tolerant, warm smile of his, he embraced everything. Her imperfection, her anxiety, her fears.

"Plus, I've got your uniform, I'm not cold." She flapped the sleeves of his gakuran around, it was clearly too big on her.

"Are you sure?" He lifted a finger to stroke her cheek, its warmth reassured him that she was fine.

"But I guess my left hand is a little cold." She hinted and stared meaningfully at him with narrowed eyes.

With that same cheesy smile, he held out his right hand to her, prompting her to place her small hand onto that warm, large palm, their fingers instinctively glided across the other's, ending in a natural interlocked position. She leaned onto his broad shoulder habitually. The entire process felt so intuitive, something anyone else would have easily taken for grant, but not her, not him.

To them, the moment was precious, it was ephemeral, a fleeting dream that could easily escape from their grasp.

Natto's Note:

Thanks for all the lovely and thought reviews! *spins around and spoils the mood* Rasielis: hehe I did that too! c: also, thanks so much for all your lovely comments on my other fics too! I'm already drafting out an expansion on the Hanamiya one!

Kiyoshi and his selfless love. + another nameless OC for me. Tsundere yay

This chapter is actually written together with the letter (first chapter) but I excluded it when I uploaded the story. I wanted to make a tragic end, but somehow it ended up like this and this part kind of spoiled the mood for me, so I left the letter by itself so that the reader can imagine what happens + this part kind of sucked, writing-wise (Sorry, I'm giving excuses because I can't write a proper tragic ending = 3 =).

After seeing Oluhasuu's and hokkyokukou's advice, I reread through the first part and felt that it was lacking as they have pointed out, so I uploaded this section.